Diving in the Deep End

I've never been one of those people that does a cannonball into a pool.  I'm one of those annoying people dipping a toe in the water, hanging out by the steps trying to avoid getting splashed, and slowly inching her way into the pool before diving in and doing a few laps.  Jumping into global collaboration is what I would equate to cannonballing into a pool; it seems like such a giant step.

The thought of diving into the world wide web with young learners is, quite honestly, a bit nervewracking to me.  Heading outside the walls of our safe neighborhood school and opening ourselves up to global audiences sounds amazing, idealistic even, but at the same time, it makes me edgy.  I'm not even sure what I'm nervous about.

I love the idea of connecting with others to learn about students and places.  The thought of students learning how they are similar to and different from others presents students with an authentic way to learn to respect others.  Interacting and connecting with students in this way makes this huge world we live seem more like a close-knit community.  Seemingly, this is the perfect venue for students to learn from one another, learn about one another, and learn more about themselves in the process.  How could any of this make me anxious?  As I write this, I am still searching within myself to discover what it is that still makes me a bit uneasy - global collaboration has so many benefits.

It is the initial jump into the unknown.    These are the questions that swirl around in my head.  Where will we end up if I take young students on a collaborative journey?  Will managing and moderating that journey into global collaboration be too overwhelming?  Will parents approve of their students connecting with others, potentially across the world?  Where will it fit into the curriculum?  These are some of the questions that race through my mind at the thought of taking this plunge.

For the past few months, I have been reading what others are doing, listening to podcasts, connecting with others through Twitter myself, and the water is already feeling warmer.  My toes are in the water, and I'm getting excited to dive in and swim a few laps.  I'm looking forward to connecting with another classroom in the upcoming weeks.